Students Build World’s Most Efficient Car

A team of high school students has developed what it claims is the most energy-efficient car in the world, an electric vehicle that reportedly gets the equivalent of 300 mpg. The school hopes to have it recognized by the Guinness Book of Records.

As you might have guessed, the students at DeLaSalle Education Center in Kansas City, Missouri school didn’t develop the vehicle on their own. They had help from Bridgestone America, both at the company’s technical center in Ohio and its test track in Texas. The car reportedly achieved the equivalent of 300 mpg during testing there.

The car is built on the chassis of a 2000 Lola Indy, an open-wheeled racer. It has been extensively modified with an ultra-lightweight frame and clear plastic bodywork. The Bridgestone Ecopia EP100 tires increase efficiency by minimizing rolling resistance.

The students built an electric powertrain and made several tweaks to maximize efficiency. Although it’s not exactly a mass-production model, the students hope that the car inspires others to work on the fuel efficiency of more consumer-targeted electric cars.

This story was written by Duncan Geere of Wired UK. We’ll have more in a follow-up story soon.

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